Hi guys.
For a couple of time, I sort of felt struggling with my body and performance objectives, related to strength and conditioning training.
In January of this year 2013, I moved to a place for a new work. So I decided to start fresh my conditioning, as I had been traveling for some time before. And now that I was settled, I wanted to work something for me : get stronger, leaner, but not much bigger. At that time, Iâ??d say I was 79-80 kg for 1m86. The scale with bodyfat measurement told me I was between 17 and 19%. Iâ??m 24 years old, have thin hair with some loss. Iâ??ve had hepatic mononucleosis when I was 15. Iâ??d say my fat is mostly on my stomach and maybe my back. My arms are fine for me. I hardly have any facial and body hair.
So I did some general weight training, for 3 months, to get used to the moves and everything, because I hadnâ??t lifted some weights for nearly 8 months before that. And then, I started Rippetoeâ??s Starting Strength protocol. So this was at the end of march. At that time, I was still at the same weight Iâ??d say, not sure about that though.
I started my sets of squats at 80 kg. My Bench press at 75kg (ok). Deadlift at 130kg. Military press at 45kg, and power cleans at 50kg (never did those before).
I did this program up to the beginning of june, then for about 2 months, and my performances were
Squat : 87.5-90kg
Bench Press : 85kg
Deadlift : 135kg
Military Press : 60kg
Power cleans : 60kg.
Now, I must be around 82kg, with still the same amount of fat told by the bodyfat scale Iâ??m using, so between 17 and 19%.
This is how I look like.
So physically, I donâ??t feel Iâ??ve changed : nor really gained more muscles or lost some fat, the latter being my main objective.
My gym membership went for 6 months, from January to July, and since then, Iâ??m doing mostly bodyweight training. I was doing between 3 and 4 sessions of weight training, never missed a session, and some amount of cross-training beside (cycling â?? to go to work-, running â?? mostly sprints-, my job requires me to stand and walk the major part of the day). So for 2 moths now, Iâ??m doing my bodyweight training for about also 3-4 times a week (chins, push-upsâ?¦), cycling to work (about 10min), and on other days roller-blading, runningâ?¦
All that to say that during these 8 months, I wasnâ??t really satisfied with my performances and results. Even more with the energy I put inâ?¦ as I was living alone and didnâ??t know much people in my area, I could consecrate of lot of my time for good food preparation and training.
As for the diet, Iâ??ve been doing low carb for some time, eating carbs just pre and post-training, I also did some intermittent fastingâ?¦ I donâ??t think I eat a lot for a guy with my level of activity, also, I tend to have a slow digestion with constipation (I can not go to the toilet for about 4-5- days). I measured that at some point, I was having an average of 2000-2200kcal per day in a week, with more intake on training days (3 times a week). I was indeed trying not too eat too much to get my BFat lowerâ?¦all in all, doing all these things, I was feeling a lack of energy throughout all these times : not the best sleep, hair loss, no libido (didnâ??t meet much women alsoâ?¦), history of numb penis (could be Testosterone, but I think more of mental issue)â?¦ feeling tired, heavy legsâ?¦ no increase in muscle mass/fat loss probably, and I wasnâ??t feeling as the happiest person neither, probably a bit of depressionâ?¦ slow digestion, constipationâ?¦ All these symptoms lead me to do some research, and I wanted to check my thyroid and my testosterone levels. I met a doctor who agreed to got me tested, told me I had probably nothing to worry aboutâ?¦ but the main things that popped out of this test were my free t3 and total testosterone levels. Here are the results of my tests for thyroid and testosterone (and Iâ??m not diabetic) :
Free T3 : 2.5 pmol/L, lab ranges are 4.0 â?? 8.3
Free T4 : 12.9 pmol/L lab ranges are 10.3 â?? 25.8
TSH : 1.27 mUI/L lab ranges are 0.25 â?? 3.10
Testosterone ( I assume itâ??s total, not written on the letter) : 7.59 nmol/L ranges are 11.40 â?? 27.90 ; ; 2.20 ug/L, ranges 3.3 â?? 8.09, (If you need other details, you can ask me about the blood tests, I might have them).
For some history, Iâ??ve been a competitive swimming athlete for 13 years, up to a national level in France and in Canada. But during my last years of university training, about 8 times a week + weight training, I think I was really underfed with one real proper meal in the day, being the dinner (cereals for breakfast, morning training, snack â?? often being a chocolate milk - , sandwich for lunch, pm training, snack and dinner). I experienced some really noticeable hair loss during those 2 years of intense training. And I think I could have done way better performances if I was well fedâ?¦ I had phobia of eating fat for a while, cooking everything without any fat, or the less I could, during my 2nd year.
Anyway, here I am today, as I am, and with these results. Iâ??d sure like to get my Testosterone to go higher, which I think could be favorable for a better livingâ?¦ What do you guyz expertâ??s opinions have to say to maybe be able to help me out with this?
Iâ??m planning on doing some more lab tests in one month, to see if these results I had are verified, and if there is something need to be done. Also, if you have other specific blood tests I could ask forâ?¦
Thanks!
EDIT : I’m under no medication at all, only supplementing on Omegas-3 and Vit. D. So, I’d like to know if there’s a way fopr me to get into normal ranges without any medication? Raising carbs and cutting out training for a while? How long?
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